By Tammy O'Reilly

The Gauteng government is to launch a programme to provide viable accommodation, with security of tenure, for people living in backyard shacks in 20 designated townships.

The multi-billion rand Top 20 Townships programme will be officially launched on Wednesday, 13 September.

Gauteng premier Mbazima Shilowa will make the plans public at the Mehlareng Stadium in Tembisa, one of eight townships in the Ekurhuleni Metro that will benefit from the project.

The project will offer homeowners the option of replacing the shacks on their properties with rooms that have basic services like water and electricity. Alternatively, shack dwellers could be moved to a new property located elsewhere.

There are more than 112 informal settlements in Ekurhuleni, the largest number in Gauteng. About 24 000 families have set up home in the back yards of people in informal settlements who have either formal houses or informal ones on serviced stands.

This kind of housing is popular partly because backyard dwellers gain access to the amenities that the landlord has, such as clean water and electricity.

The Top 20 Townships programme will provide many townships in Gauteng with alternative housing solutions, affordable rental accommodation as well as assisting communities to formalise rental agreements between landlords and tenants.

The programme also seeks to create jobs in these communities.

The top 20 townships are Atteridgeville, Boipatong, Bophelong, Daveyton, Duduza, Kagiso, Khutsong, Katlehong, Kwa-Thema, Mamelodi, Mohlakeng, Munsieville, Ratanda, Refilwe, Rethabiseng, Saulsville, Sebokeng, Sharpeville, Soshanguve, Soweto, Tembisa, Tsakane and Wattville.

Source: Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality